· welcome to version 3.0 of the american vaulting association’s publication. what started out...

www.AmericanVaulting.org 1

2 EquEstrianVaultinG | Spring 2010

www.americanvaulting.com 3

Features6 AVA Lifetime Achievement

Award Winner: J. Ashton MooreVaulting Visionary and Creative GeniusNaomi Takemoto

8 The Road to WEG10 AVA Trainer of the Year: Patti Skipton

skill, Inspiration and a Very special touchDeirdre Frontczak

16 2009 AVA Competition Awards18 The Truth About Vaulting:

Explaining and Evangelizing Our SportSheri Benjamin

22 AVA Lifetime Achievement Award Winner: Jan GarrodIrrepressible, Versatile, accomplished

24 AVA Medal Test Program Hits New Record in 2009

Columns5 From the President Sheri Benjamin

13 Coaching CornerWhy High Scores Are Worth MoreNancy Stevens-Brown

14 Horse SmartsQuiet, Supple, Obedient; The Foundations of a Well-Educated Vaulting HorseYossi Martonovich

21 Thru the Eyes of the JudgesPerformance Score “Times 2 or 3” Suzanne Detol

26 Just for Vaulters Dynamic Stretching for Vaulting SuccessMegan Benjamin and Stacey Burnett

28 Management 101Teamwork is a Choice: Teambuilding for SuccessSheri Benjamin

VaultinGEquEstrian

6 10

18 22


AMERICAN VAULTING ASSOCIATION

8205 Santa Monica Blvd. #1-288 West Hollywood, CA

90046-5912

A New Look!Welcome to version 3.0 of the American Vaulting Association’s publication. What started out as “Vaulting News” in 1969, and eventually turned into “Vaulting World” 20 years ago, has today become a new glossy publication encompassing everything about American vaulting: Equestrian Vaulting magazine--the official publication of the AVA!

This magazine was built on the rock solid foundation started by AVA Founders Jeff Moore and Elizabeth Searle, and then carried on by Marianne Rose for the last 20 years. The newly designed publication will be quarterly for the first year, designed to be more feature and column oriented. If you’d like to be part of the new Equestrian Vaulting magazine team, and can contribute your writing, editing, photography, organizational or proofing skills on a quarterly basis, please contact Julie Divita ([email protected] or 650-464-4887).

This inaugural issue was a team effort by a group of volunteer writers, photographers, editors, proofers, and miscellaneous dragon slayers. Thanks go to Katharina Woodman, Naomi Takemoto, Alex Thomas, Nancy Stevens-Brown, Adrienne Stang, Kate Revell, Adria Revell, Lynne Owen, Yossi Martonovich, Eileen Jassowski, Deirdre Frontczak, Julie Divita, Suzanne Detol, Stacey Burnett, Sheri Benjamin and Megan Benjamin. Special thanks go to Leah Kucharek, our Equestrian Vaulting graphic designer (and owner of Red Hen Design), for her guidance, her patience and her unparalleled design brilliance.

Equestrian Vaulting magazine is the official publication of the American Vaulting Association. Comments/suggestions/questions are welcome to [email protected].

For information on advertising rates, how to submit editorial content and more, go to www.americanvaulting.org/contactus/.

For address changes: www.americanvaulting.org/members memberservices/ and click on “Membership Updates” to make the change. If you are having problems receiving your issues, or wish additional copies contact the AVA National Office (323-654-0800, fax 323-654-4306 or [email protected]). No part of this publication may be reproduced either in whole or part without written permission. Copyright by American Vaulting Association 2010.

VaultinGEquEstrianVaultinG

EquEstrianO

n O

ur

cOve

r:

AVA 2009 Horse of the Year Giovanni with Woodside Vaulters (top to bottom) Yvonne Greenen, Kathryn Jaggers and Patrick Stevens.

Photo courtesy of Primo Ponies Photography

American Vaulting Association Directory

2010 AVA VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ExEcutiVE BoArD MEMBErsPresident: sheri Benjamin, 408-872-1562, [email protected]

Executive VP: Kelley Holly, 707-665-9281, [email protected]: Jodi rinard, 303-931-7072, [email protected]

Secretary: robin Bowman, 303-978-1084, [email protected] Competitions: linda Bibbler, 650-851-7751, [email protected]

VP Development: rick VanVranken, 609-442-1892, [email protected] Membership: Julie Divita, 650-464-4887, [email protected]

BOARD MEMBERSJessica Ballenger, Kim Beisecker, megan Benjamin, Carol Beutler, Bill Brown,

Craig Coburn, merry Cole, suzanne Detol, Priscilla G. Faulkner, sydney Frankel, rick Hawthorne, Virginia Hawthorne, Cambry Kaylor, Yossi martonovich, amy mcCune,

marianne rose, Patti skipton, Bob Weber

REgIONAL SUPERVISORSRegion I: Connie Geisler, 909-861-1564, [email protected]; Region II: Carolyn Conner, 415-897-8486, [email protected]; Region III: Penny maydak, 503-703-9177, [email protected]; Region IV: noel martonovich, 303-277-0356, [email protected]; Region IX: elizabeth Brigham, 301-983-9795, [email protected];

Region X: Jane egger, 269-782-3206, [email protected].

VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND SPECIAL PROgRAM DIRECTORS2010 Annual Convention: Wendy Ware, 503-628-0918, [email protected]

Barrel Initiative: Jessica Ballenger, 831-479-9491, [email protected] Bylaws: amy mcCune 864-247-7224, [email protected]

Coaching Certification Initiative: nancy stevens-Brown, 831-476-5901, [email protected] Awards: Carol Beutler, 650-366-7527, [email protected]

Competitions Secretary: suzanne Detol, 503-357-9651, [email protected] Team: Priscilla G. Faulkner, 770-786-7283, [email protected]

Grants: Jan Garrod 408-741-1191, [email protected]: Bill Brown 831-476-5901, [email protected]

Historian: nancy stevens-Brown 831-476-5901, [email protected] Horses: Yossi martonovich 303-277-0356, [email protected]

Insurance: Kim Beisecker 540-231-6527, [email protected] Test Secretary: suzanne Detol, 503-357-9651, [email protected]

Nationals 2010: linda Bibbler, 650-851-7751, [email protected] and marianne rose, 408-867-1789, [email protected]

National High Point: toni amoroso, 805-493-2268, [email protected] Pony Club Partnership Committee: Beth Whillock, 651-482-0649, [email protected]

Publications: Jan Weber, 978-448-4193, [email protected]: Bob Weber, [email protected]

Technical Advisor for Therapeutic Vaulting: rick/Virginia Hawthorne, 818-302-0153, [email protected] Committee Chair: Kelley Holly, 707-665-9281, [email protected]

Trade Shows: Jan Weber, 978-448-4193, [email protected] Fitness Initiative: megan Benjamin, [email protected]

Volunteer Recognition: Carol Beutler, 650-366-7527, [email protected]: eileen Jassowski, 530-621-4911, [email protected]

AVA NATIONAL OFFICECraig Coburn, national office manager

8205 santa monica Blvd., #1-288, West Hollywood, Ca 90046-5912 e-mail: [email protected]

Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to noon PST• Ph: 323-654-0800, Fax: 323-654-4306 www.americanvaulting.org

FEI Vaulting Committee: emma seely, 408-868-9476, [email protected]

FEI Athlete Council Vaulting Representative: megan Benjamin, 408-605-8447, [email protected]

USEF Board Members: sheri Benjamin, 408-872-1562, [email protected] Bibbler, 650-851-7751, [email protected]

USEF Board/Elected Athlete: Devon maitozo, 818-429-2115, [email protected] Director of Vaulting: Pam lane, 908-326-1153, [email protected]

USEF Vaulting High Perf. Comm. Chair: linda Bibbler, 650-851-7751, [email protected] Vaulting Technical Committee Co-Chairs:

Craig Coburn, 323-654-0800, [email protected]; suzanne Detol 503-357-9651, [email protected]

USEF Youth Council Member: annalise VanVranken, 609-002-6277, [email protected]


From the PresideNt

why equestriAN VAuLtiNg mAtters Now

Over the past year, as a result of my newish job as AVA president and my even newer position on the United States Equestrian Federation board of directors, I’m interacting more frequently with equestrians outside the vaulting world—from eventers and dressage

experts to endurance vets and breed specialists—and have more of a window into their equestrian activities and what makes each one special.

My big “aha” moment came when I realized, a few months ago, that equestrian vaulting now matters more than ever. Let me explain why.

For those involved in vaulting for the majority of our 40-year history, I think you’ll agree that vaulting advanced in incremental steps (let’s call them Baby Steps) —from its emigration from Europe to AVA Founder Liz Searle’s Santa Cruz Pony Club in 1969, through its build up in California through the next decade, to its spread to the East Coast and eventually the Pacific Northwest and now to the Midwest.

Flash forward forty years to the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games arriving soon in our own backyard—the “Horse Capital of the World”, Lexington, Kentucky. These Games will provide an incomparable opportunity to make unprecedented Giant Steps for American vaulting—no “Mother May I?” required.

As we head toward WEG, and as we actively evangelize our sport to those in the equestrian community and those outside of it, the payoff for our hard work will be a hockey stick growth curve

for vaulting in all its forms: recreational and competitive, team and individual.

Vaulting truly has something for just about everyone, and now is the time to be sure the world (or at least our country!) knows the facts. I encourage all

of you to know your vaulting facts (see The Truth About Vaulting: Explaining and Evangelizing Our Sport on page 20), and to actively evangelize our sport to anyone who will listen.

Because of the many forms a vaulting program can take, it will be known as the perfect equestrian activity for…

• thethree-year-oldwho’stooyoungforregularridinglessons,or…

• the42-year-oldformerrider(backwhenshewas16)whoisrelearningtorideand wants vaulting to help her become a safer rider—with a terrific and deep riding seat, or …

• theteenboywholovesgymnasticsbutwantsmoreofateamexperience,or…

• thetalenteddancerwholoveshorsesandtheoutdoorsandwantsacompetitive outlet, or even …

• the parents whose kids are taking Western lessons, and who are now taking adult recreational vaulting classes instead of reading a magazine while waiting (and having a raucous good time!).

So, grab your hats (well maybe the surcingle too) and get ready for a wild and exciting ride. Equestrian vaulting matters now. Shout it from the rooftops every chance you get, because this is our time!

Sheri Benjamin American Vaulting Association President


FeAture

Imagine vaulting on a horse with no back pad, competing without a break between compulsories and freestyle, and no one

over the age of eighteen being allowed to compete in international competitions! Vaulters enjoy all these things and more because J. Ashton Moore fought for decades to change vaulting in America and the world.

As visionaries, Jeff Moore and Elizabeth Searle were motivated and driven by inquisitive minds and a desire to share their love of horses with those who also loved horse sport. Liz first spotted vaulting in Europe in 1956 and brought it back to the United States because it looked like “a fun thing for kids.” In 1969 Jeff and Liz founded the American Vaulting Association—then a simple operation with the duo at their Smith Corona electric typewriters, plucking out the rule book, one-page newsletters, and basic criteria to train judges. They began the very bare bones of what today is the nationally recognized organization for the equestrian discipline of vaulting.

Jeff distinguished himself early on as an expert horse trainer and lunger when he borrowed an untrained horse for an American team’s first “unofficial” international vaulting competition in Konstanz, Germany in 1977. With little time to prepare the horse for competition, he took the equine for “after hours” training and schooled the horse enough for the American team to win, thus earning the respect of the international vaulting community.

Important Fundamental ChangesJeff is solely responsible for changing international rules to include accepting equipment such as “optional back pads” and to allow the compulsories and freestyle segments to run in separate sections with a

break in between. The ink in the international rule book wasn’t even dry before nearly every team in Europe had ordered their “optional back pads,” and it wasn’t long before everyone forgot the days when athletes vaulted bareback. Adult vaulting (over the age of 18) was also the result of Jeff’s persuasion. Long ago, Germany had an age limit of 16 on vaulting; because vaulting was a nationally sponsored junior activity,

there was great resistance to removing the age limit for fear the sport would lose its national funding. Because of Jeff’s unrelenting pressure, the international body first compromised on no upper limit for individuals and an upper age limit of 18 for team, and today has removed age restrictions for both divisions.

By Naomi Takemoto

aVa LifEtimE achiEVEmEnt award winnEr

J. ashton moorE:VAuLtiNg VisioNAry ANd CreAtiVe geNius

Jeff Moore at the awards ceremony of the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, where he was a vaulting judge.

...the world of vaulting has enjoyed access to Jeff’s knowledge, expertise and out-of-the-box creativity for more than 40 years, and this knowledge has led the United States to its unprecedented success at home and abroad.

Photo courtesy of AVA Vaulting Archives


The quest to have vaulting recognized as an international equestrian discipline at first was met with firm resistance in the upper echelons of both our national and international equestrian sport’s governing bodies, because originally only the athlete and not the horse was scored. It was because of Jeff’s (and Liz’s) constant communication and long-time relationship with high ranking members of the FEI and AHSA (the former USEF) that vaulting was ultimately accepted as an FEI discipline.

Jeff’s principal equine endeavor has always been dressage, where he was one of the leaders in developing that discipline in the United States back in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Jeff was instrumental in the structuring of the California Dressage Society’s judges’ training program, which later became the model for the USDF judges’ training program. Jeff wrote, to a great extent, the criteria and curriculum for the USDF judges’ training program, which he was developing at the same time he was creating the AVA judges’ training program. Later he developed and headed the programs to train trainers of judges and examiners of judges. It was his efforts in these areas of dressage to help that discipline get launched in America that gave him a recognizable name and earned him respect within the National Federation. This allowed him to speak up on behalf of vaulting.

Jeff’s fingerprints are on everything the sport of vaulting enjoys today:

• Hecreatedtheterminologyandunderstanding of what judges are looking at and what they are looking for in vaulter and horse performances.

• Hewrotetheearliestdescriptionsofthe compulsories and freestyle. This was adopted for the first FEI Vaulting Rule Book and Guidelines, for which he was a principal contributor in describing the compulsories and subsequently amending future additions of the rule book, which remain to this day relatively unchanged from those early descriptions.

• Hecontributedtothefirstdescriptionsofthecriteriaforjudgingthe horse and continues to do so.

• Hehasbeeninstrumentalingettingvaulting recognized by the USEF and supported by the FEI.

• Throughout the years he has generously given his time to help American judges know “what they are looking at and what they should be looking for” when they are scoring the vaulting horse.

“Jeff is one of the most brilliant men I know, truly a genius with horses, and I’m happy to have him as a best friend,” says FEI-O Judge Adrienne Stang. “We can never say ‘thank you’ enough to Jeff Moore for establishing our judges’ training program and volunteering his time.”

Jeff’s interest in words led him to write a Glossary of Terms for dressage, which is a standard reference for dressage judges and trainers. For the AVA he developed the Judging Code, and nomenclature, so that descriptive terminology would be consistent among judges. It was Jeff’s creative genius and excellent writing skills that gave judges the tools they needed to do their job accurately and correctly, and gave riders, trainers, vaulters and lungers the benefit of a clear understanding of vaulting judging.

And let’s not forget his trademark sense of humor. “Jeff is not only extremely well-read and able to converse on nearly any topic, he also has a very quick wit and is very funny,” says FEI-O Judge and good friend Suzanne Detol. “Traveling in Europe with Jeff is an experience -- lots of laughter, lots of jokes, lots of fun, lots of wonderful memories.”

Jeff works continuously to impress upon the vaulting community the importance of the quality of the horse, because the sport of vaulting has evolved to become a much more demanding challenge for the horse today. Luckily, the world of vaulting has enjoyed access to Jeff’s knowledge, expertise and out-of-the-

box creativity for more than 40 years, and this knowledge has led the United States to its unprecedented success at home and abroad.

About the Author: Naomi Takemoto is a former AVA president, judge, and board member. She is a Life member of the AVA and a member of the AVA Circle of Friends.

Jeff coaches Alex Schaubhut through the fear to get “upside down” in her flight exercises.

J. AshtoN moore

Photo

court

esy of

Lone

Star

Vault

ersPh

oto co

urtesy

of Lo

ne St

ar Va

ulters

Jeff coaches the mechanics of the mill to a group of vaulters and coaches.

“Jeff is one of the most brilliant men I know, truly a genius with horses, and I’m happy to have him as a best friend.” --Adrienne Stang


American vaulters have earned medals at every World Equestrian Games (see side bar) since the beginning of the games in 1990! The AVA, USEF

and all of America is hoping that American vaulters will continue the tradition and bring home several medals at the World Equestrian Games to be held in Kentucky September 25 through October 10, 2010. The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) will send one team (consisting of seven vaulters), three men and three women (plus a male and female alternate) to represent the United States at WEG in Kentucky.

Most of the individual vaulters hoping to go to WEG started down the road to Kentucky years ago. They have been training and competing at the international level for many years. Individuals who will represent the United States will be selected using the USEF vaulting ranking lists as they are posted on August 10, 2010. Go to: www.usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/allvaulting/hpvaulting.aspx to see the current rankings of American individual vaulters and to watch their placings as the vaulting season progresses.

The journey to Kentucky for teams is different. Some teams have been together for a few years, while others have been put together for this year. Regardless of how long a team has been together only scores from this coming vaulting season will count for the team selection. American vaulting teams are required to submit scores from two designated USEF selection trial competitions (see designated selection trials side bar), plus they must submit an additional score from any other USEF competition or a CVI that takes place within the designated time period. The team with the highest cumulative score will be selected to represent the USA in Kentucky.

All rules for both the USEF individual and team vaulting selection procedures can be found on the USEF website.

Good luck to everyone who is dreaming of competing at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games!

thE road to wEG

Check out the website: www.usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/allvaulting/hpvaulting.aspx

2010

Photo

court

esy of

B. Ba

rwig


weg medAL history2006 Aachen, GermanyWomen’s World Vaulting champion: Megan Benjamin, Mt. Eden Vaulting Club, on Leonardo, lunged by Lasse Kristensen, coached by Emma Garrod Seely.

team silver Medal: Free Artists Mt. Eden (F.A.M.E.)Megan Benjamin, Blake Dahlgren, Elizabeth Ioannou, Devon Maitozo, Katie Richie, Rosey Ross and Annalise VanVranken, on Grand Gaudino (Germany), lunged by Dr. Silke Bartl, coached by Emma Garrod Seely and Devon Maitozo.

2002 Jerez, SpainMen’s Bronze Medal: Devon Maitozo, F.A.C.E., on Abu Dhabi 2 (Germany).

1998 Rome, ItalyMen’s World Vaulting champion: Devon Maitozo, Barronsgate, on Whiskey.

Women’s silver Medalist: Kerith Lemon, Mt. Eden Vaulting Club, on Pasio (Germany), coached by Emma Garrod Seely.

team Bronze Medalist: Woodside Vaulters; Jessica Ballenger, Jessica Fredericks, Stephanie Freedman, Peter Frola, Kenny Geisler, Jill Main, Rosemary Neihaus, Danielle Teitelman and Tory Van Wey on Kalinka (Germany), lunged by Angela Leuder, coached by Isabelle Bibbler Parker.

1994 The Hague, NetherlandsWomen’s silver Medalist: Kerith Lemon, Mt. Eden Vaulting Club, on Maxwell 5 (Germany), coached by Emma Garrod Seely.

1990 Stockholm, Swedenteam Bronze Medalists: Timberline Vaulters; John Alongi, Jon Becker, Sarah Hart, Kerith Lemon, Bryan Jones, Samantha Ross, Daniel Sommerville, Libby Stow and Nicole Wolter (Mt. Eden Vaulting Club) on Carerra 5 (Germany), coached by Nancy Stevens-Brown.

Check out the website: www.usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/allvaulting/hpvaulting.aspx

useF desigNAted teAm seLeCtioN triALsMay 8-9 Great Falls Vaulters and

Topaz Vaulters Spring Fest

May 15-16 Garrod’s Spring Classic

June 5-6 Woodside Vaulters Spring Fest

July 17-18 F.A.C.E.-Off Vaulting Challenge

July 29-August 1 USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championships

Go to www.usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/allvaulting/hpvaulting.aspx for information regarding trial locations.

Left: WEG 2006 Women’s Gold Medalist Megan Benjamin with Leonardo. Above from top to bottom: WEG 1998 Team Bronze Medalists Woodside Vaulters with Kalinka • WEG 1998 Men’s Gold Medalist Devon Maitozo with Abu Dhabi • WEG 1998 Women’s Silver Medalist Kerith Lemon • WEG 2006 Team Silver Medalists Free Artists Mt. Eden

Photo

court

esy of

B. Ba

rwig

Photo

court

esy of

RWeb

er Ph

otogra

phy

Photo

court

esy of

Rusty

Grine

rPh

oto co

urtesy

of Ru

sty Gr

iner

Photo

court

esy of

Rusty

Grine

r


AVA trAiNer oF the yeAr

PAtti skiPtoN

Patti Skipton, founder, coach and lunger of the Warm Beach Vaulters, has been named 2009 AVA Trainer of the Year.

A resident of Stanwood, Washington—a town just north of Seattle which, while on the Puget Sound, is reportedly neither warm nor particularly “beachy”—Patti was introduced to vaulting in central California some 35 years ago. There, at the tender age of 19, she married Mark Skipton and joined him in working at Rawhide Ranch, a camp and vocational school in California.

Arriving at Rawhide in 1975, Patti was

skiLL, inspiration and a VEry spEciaL touch

introduced to their rudimentary vaulting program. “Everything was done at the canter,” she recalls, “though the most advanced move was a kneel.” While helping to clean the boss’s house one day, she ran across a book on the art of vaulting. She read it through, and was fascinated by the amazing range of exercises and possibilities it offered. From that day, Patti began to try out what she saw – first as a vaulter, and then as coach to the students at the Rawhide Camp.

Patti’s vaulting career progressed, and she earned her silver medal while she was five months pregnant with her oldest child,

Clinton (a former AVA Men’s National Trot Champion). It seems Patti made a specialty of expectant vaulting: in her single competition at Nationals, she was already three months pregnant with her twins!

As one might expect from a vaulting mom, Patti takes safety quite seriously. A longtime member of the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA, formerly Camp Horsemanship Association), Patti embodies their mission to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the entire horse industry. Patti was instrumental in helping to integrate vaulting within the recognized CHA programs; the group now offers a Recreational Vaulting Certification, and has been key in spreading the popularity of vaulting among riders and horse enthusiasts nationwide.

After spending nearly 30 years raising her family in central California and coaching the Monte Vista Vaulters, Patti moved with her husband Mark to Washington state— where she fully expected to retire from the coaching scene. Her reputation, however, had preceded her. In response to a special request from the CHA, Patti agreed to introduce a vaulting program to the Warm Beach Christian Camps and Conference Centers, where Mark was already working.

“When Patti and her husband moved to Washington, that was one of the best things that ever happened to our region,” AVA Judge and Coach Suzanne Detol recalls. “She quickly got ‘back into the saddle,’ and in less than a year, had built the biggest club in the region. Her vaulters and horses have been successful in Region III, Region II and nationally; and she has had several competitors (and horses) at the CVI Kentucky.

By Deirdre Frontczak

Photo

court

esy of

Lynn

e Owe

n Pho

tograp

hy


PAtti skiPtoN: At A gLANCeA member of the AVA since the 1970s, Patti Skipton served for many years on the AVA Board of Directors, and as Chair of its Camps and Clubs Committee. She has had a longtime involvement with the Education Committee, and still serves as a vaulting clinician with the CHA.

Patti was proud host of the first CVI event in the United States, held in Watsonville, CA. She also hosted the first International Vaulting Training Camp, coached Team USA at the 1994 World Equestrian Games, and went on to coach the 1996 USA Olympic Friendship Team in Atlanta. During the 1990s she trained her beloved Belgian mare Holly B’Golly, who earned two coveted Horse of the Year awards during her long and illustrious vaulting career.

skiLL, inspiration and a VEry spEciaL touch

“We are very fortunate to have Patti in our midst. She is a constant example of good sportsmanship, good citizenship, a constant example of who we all should aspire to be. I can’t say enough about Patti as a trainer, a coach, and an all-around great friend. “

So as the 2009 AVA Trainer of the Year, what exactly does Patti do, and how does she do it? To find out, Equestrian Vaulting spoke with parents, vaulters, coaches and judges who have worked with Patti and had ample opportunity to watch her in action with her team.

A Hallmark of HorsemanshipNancy Stevens-Brown, past president of the AVA and creator of the Trainer of the Year award, describes Patti as a leader par excellence in the training community: “Over the past three decades Patti has consistently trained many vaulting horses to safely carry vaulters at all levels. This year she was selected as Trainer of The Year based on her presentation and preparation of all her horses throughout the National Championships.”

In particular, Patti stood out for her multiple entries with more than one horse and more than one level of vaulting over the entire competition.

“Her skill in selecting and developing safe, reliable vaulting horses continues to be the hallmark of Patti’s horsemanship,” Nancy continues.

While warmbloods have gained popularity with many clubs (perhaps due to similarities in training approaches in the dressage and vaulting worlds), Patti’s breed of choice is the Belgian Draft. She prefers these horses for

their sweet and unflappable temperament, simplicity of care, and of course the size and strength that help them carry triples with ease.

Acknowledging Patti’s work with the breed, Nancy Stevens-Brown observes, “Patti conditions these heavy horses to be able to serve quietly in both camp and competition. Her horses are notable for their superb fitness and presentation, as well as their reliable way of going when carrying vaulters of all levels, from camp and trot, to gold and team.”

“These big guys are her babies,” says Jeannie Patterson, a Warm Beach parent. “Patti really bonds with them. She loves and respects them—and the feeling seems mutual.”

The Warm Beach Vaulters currently have five horses—all full or part Belgians. Two of the horses, new to the club in the past year, came with no experience beyond the hitch. They had never been ridden, never been lunged. After five months, the club was using one at end-of-year competitions, and hope to use him for A and B teams this year.

How does she do that? “Patty has an incredibly gentle touch, as well as a discerning eye,” Patterson notes. “She can spot a talented horse and know just what’s required to bring out the best in him.”

Leading by ExampleOf course, training the horses is not the whole picture. A great coach needs to focus on developing the vaulters—as athletes, and as human beings. By all accounts, Patti excels in this regard as well.

Photo

court

esy of

Lynn

e Owe

n Pho

tograp

hy

Photo

court

esy of

Prim

o Pon

ies Ph

otogra

phy

Photo

court

esy of

Prim

o Pon

ies Ph

otogra

phy


AVA Judge Craig Coburn, who has known Patti for 25 years, recalls: “As a kid, I used to think that Patti was strict. What I interpreted as ‘strict’ back then, I now see as really a well-defined ethical standard to which Patti held all her vaulters.

“As an adult, I am in awe of her ability to motivate and inspire so many vaulters, parents and horses! Patti is able to teach kids to vault while simultaneously teaching them to work hard, have fun and to be good people. And Patti’s connection and ability to train vaulting horses has been a huge contributing factor in her ability to create so many great teams. Her kids trust their horses and thrive by being lucky enough to have the opportunity to vault on Patti’s horses. Patti’s ability to train multitudes of horses has been the linchpin in her developing so many great vaulting clubs. To have fun, you have to be able to trust and depend on your horse. Patti has continually trained trustworthy, dependable horses.

“Patti’s enthusiasm for vaulting, her ability to inspire and teach kids, and her innate talent for training wonderful horses, have enabled her to attract kids to our sport. I wish we could clone Patti and send her all over the country as an ambassador for vaulting! Patti

leads by example, and her vaulters and their parents are drawn to her magical ability to share a strong sense of spirituality, firm ethical standards, her love of horses and her passion for vaulting.”

Craig’s views are echoed by vaulting families drawn to the club by her reputation, but held there by the warmth, inspiration and cohesion they find on the team.

“We heard about Warm Beach through the grapevine, then, when we met the families and vaulters, they seemed especially kind, outgoing and friendly,” says team parent Tracy Mackie. “We wanted our daughter to be coached for character, not just skills—so this seemed like the perfect spot for her.”

Valerie Janes, another vaulting mom, echoes those thoughts. “My little girl has grown into a wonderful young woman, and Patti has been instrumental in molding her character,” she states. “It doesn’t matter to Patti that you win, it matters that you are growing, and challenging yourself. I respect that so much.”

The ability to challenge her vaulters while remaining kind and nurturing is a special strength. “Patti is really good at inspiring and challenging the kids, always encouraging them toward the next level,” Mackie adds.

“Patti will see what they are doing right, and what they could work on; then, she suggests new elements or creative ideas to help stretch each vaulter’s unique abilities.”

The Club parents also agree that Patti is adamant about nurturing her relationship with other coaches and trainers, and will always be first to recognize her own limitations.

“While Patti is a phenomenal coach, she knows her strengths and weaknesses and is eager to bring in clinicians to supplement her program,” Valerie observes. “I really respect that. A good coach knows it’s always helpful to hear from others, even if just to hear the same things presented in a different way.”

Or as Tracy Mackie observes: “It takes a lot of trust to have my daughter be a flier. With Patti and her teams, I never worry about it. Without hesitation, I trust Patti’s judgment and her solid coaching of the team. I’d put any of my kids on one of her horses at any time!”

About the Author: A parent with Tambourine Vaulters in Petaluma, CA, Deirdre Frontczak is a longtime AVA member and frequent clerk at vaulting competitions. She has a consulting practice focused on leadership development, communications and public relations.

Photo

court

esy of

Prim

o Pon

ies Ph

otogra

phy

Patti Skipton shares Warm Beach horse Jake with visitors at the Kentucky Horse Park.


CoaChinGcornEr

Recently, there have been detailed articles published in Vaulting World on scoring methodology and how to

decipher the new score sheets. For anyone who competes, becoming familiar with the scoring system is key to being able to potentially place well in competition. Some might think then that scores are only valuable in determining the outcome of a competition or the sash on a medal. But scores are connected to more than who gets the Blue, for beyond determining the placing, scores have a direct correlation to safety.

0 to 4 Score = Unsafe Simply put, the lower the score the higher the risk of failure! Zero denotes that the vaulter has completely failed to succeed as planned. This is very risky, since total failure is often precipitated by a struggle or collapse, leaving both the horse and athlete off balance, off stride and often upset. Exercises that earn only a “1” to “4” will display little or no security, balance, body control or general understanding of what is expected. When an exercise scores in that range, the vaulter is much more likely to fail than they are to succeed. So for the sake of safety we want to raise the expertise of our students above a 4 value as quickly as possible!

Five Is Another Word For 50-50Yet a 5 is still not a mark we should be satisfied with, even in a recreational program. “5” is another way of saying that there remains a 50/50 chance that a move may not work correctly and is therefore more inconsistent and unsafe.

A good goal for all vaulters is to strive to earn a minimum of 6 or better on each move in every practice session, which will then increase the safety and success of every lesson. This can be done in three easy steps:

First, before the lesson outline the essential details needed to create a secure, polished delivery of each position being practiced.

Discuss and describe what is needed to earn that 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10.

Though a perfect 10 will elude all but the most elite athlete, any exercise that earns a perfect 10 is accomplished with superb precision, control and harmony with the horse. When a vaulter performs with precise control, the horse is more likely to move obediently and effortlessly, thus greatly reducing any chance of imbalance, injury or misbehavior. Voila! Safer vaulting!

Second, have another vaulter, coach or parent “score” each vaulter at the beginning and end of every practice, and explain why those scores were given. By having this everyday measure of their efforts, the vaulters will naturally strive to earn a higher score and everyone will share a heightened understanding of what is needed to perfect each move.

And third, keep a chart with all the moves that are currently being worked on, and record the highest scores that each vaulter receives for each position.

What’s The Score? Whether you vault for fun or are aiming to be tops at a CVI, working for an immediate “score” increases safety and speeds progress. Mock scoring can be done for all levels: from beginning to recreational to competitive vaulting. It is a surefire way for vaulters to be encouraged to perform at their most focused, which is always the safest way to practice. Remember scores aren’t just for a coveted Blue, higher scores make vaulting safer too. And as we all know, safety is always first!

About the author: Since 1971 Nancy Stevens-Brown has continuously coached all levels of vaulting, from camp to international, and her Timberline Vaulters won countless national championships, individual AVA medals, (including Nancy’s own gold medal) and exciting international successes. With innovative methods and boundless energy, Nancy has given workshops worldwide on performance skills, and encourages every vaulter to recognize and tap into their individual strengths and creativity in order to unleash their own distinctive style and potential.

why high sCores Are worth more By Nancy Stevens-Brown

“Before you can score, you must have a goal.” --Greek proverb

Reaching for perfection, Madeline Martinez of Tambourine Vaulters (with Nancy Stevens-Brown) learns that even a beginner can earn great scores!

Photo

s cou

rtesy

of Pri

mo Po

nies P

hotog

raphy

14 EquEstrianVaultinG | Winter 2010

horsesmarts

Alois Podhasky, the long-time director of the Spanish School of Riding in Vienna who is considered by many as the

ultimate authority in classical horsemanship (dressage), said “The object of the classical art of riding is to train a horse not only to be brilliant in the movements and exercises of the high school, but to be quiet, supple, and obedient, and by his smooth movements to make riding a true pleasure.”

These same qualities produce a vaulting horse that is safe, comfortable, and can artistically enhance the performance of the vaulter. Let’s examine those qualities one by one, and learn how to achieve them in the course of schooling our vaulting horses.

QuietA quiet horse is a calm, confident and trusting horse. He is listening, learning, and “thinking,” you may say. His body is relaxed, his strides are very rhythmic, and therefore his movements are harmonious and smooth. The horse is a pleasure to vault on and is safe to be around.

Most horses that are not quiet are “man made” products, therefore we need to examine our behavior around horses at all times. When we are around horses we need to be confident and calm, and remember to teach the horse

what we want him to learn in incremental steps. A confused horse is a nervous horse.

Of course, trainers need to know what they want, in order to teach the skill. For example, if I want the horse to stay out on the lunge line, I need to start teaching that behavior when he is close to me, and as he understands the lesson, slowly teach him to go out farther and farther on the lunge line while maintaining

the same equal distance from the lunger. If I just send him out on the lunge line without teaching him what I want, I have a horse that isn’t sure what he is supposed to do, therefore his rhythm is faulty, his contact with the lunge line is faulty, and his circle is not round.

To have a quiet horse, the trainer first must understand and believe that a horse must be quiet to perform at his best. Trainers must learn to recognize when their horses are not quiet and find the reasons for it. If the horse is uncomfortable at his work, he will not be calm and confident; for example, a horse that carries his nose behind the vertical—over-flexion— (due to bad training or the use of multiple devices in training and too short of side reins in the competition ring) is uncomfortable.

Lt. Col. Harry Chamberlin, the famous American cavalry rider, author, and Gold and Silver Olympic medalist, wrote more than 60 years ago in his book, Riding and Schooling Horses: “Over-flexion leads to many vices, such as pulling, nervousness, falling back of the bit, heaviness of the forehand, and shortened gaits.” Unfortunately, over-flexion and the lack of calmness with which it is associated seems to be a desired quality today. Some believe that over-flexion leads to control of the horse, and in a sense it does. The horse can’t

see what’s going on around him, his eyes are permanently fixed on the ground and he has limited control of his neck; he is not willingly on the bit but fighting against the bit or backing off from the bit.

Many equestrians in all disciplines are making a big mistake by associating horses that work nervously with energy and impulsion, and horses that work calmly with laziness.

Professionals must train their eyes and look carefully to be able to recognize a vaulting horse that works well and canters calmly and rhythmically on the circle.

SuppleA supple horse is an agile and limber horse that moves elastically. He is capable of bending himself and especially capable of flexing his hind legs to carry more of his own weight on them and become a better balanced horse. The more balanced the horse is, the more he is able to allow the vaulter the freedom to move around on top of the horse while still maintaining his own balance and rhythm.

Developing the horse to become more and more supple is done by daily, consistent good riding. In riding trainers have the capability to influence the horse and ask him to carry himself a little bit better every day just like any athlete, gymnast, or dancer who work consistently on developing their body to be able to do more and more every day. Dressage riding, when it is done well, and by a skillful rider, will lead to the physical development of the horse as well as to a more disciplined horse.

ObedientAn obedient vaulting horse is a horse that is promptly responsive to his trainer’s/lunger’s aids under all circumstances in his normal work. An obedient horse willingly submits, which implies great confidence on the part of the horse in his trainer/lunger. When the lunger asks the horse to canter, he should canter, when s/he asks him to slow down, he should slow down. The horse needs to be consistently listening to his lunger, and not depend solely on his previous experiences. The horse should not be moving on automatic pilot but instead should always be listening to his lunger.

To develop the horse to be a better and better “listener” means very consistent daily work, paying attention to the smallest details. For example, when I ask my horse to halt and stand, I expect him to halt and stand; when I ask him to walk, I expect him to walk until I ask him to

By Yossi Martonovich

Quiet, Supple, Obedient

“The object of the classical art of riding is to train a horse not only to be brilliant in the movements and exercises of the high school, but to be quiet, supple, and obedient, and by his smooth movements to make riding a true pleasure.”

trot. As the horse becomes more obedient he allows the trainer to make more of the decisions in the way he performs, providing of course, that the trainer has first established a trusted relationship with the horse, is ensuring that the horse understands what the trainer is asking for, and thus responds accordingly.

Harmony and BeautyProgressive training, based on the foundations of quietness, suppleness and obedience, allows the vaulting horse to become a willing, comfortable and better athlete that will canter around in a circle with ease and grace. And when it is easy for the horse, it also becomes comfortable for the vaulter because of the regularity of the horse’s gait, his suppleness and his improved balance.

The quiet, supple and obedient horse will enhance the vaulter’s performance because the vaulter can perform without fear, and with trust in the horse. In the end, they both improve their suppleness, attitude and balance, which is then transmitted to the audience as a picture of harmony and beauty.

About the Author: Yossi Martonovich has been training horses for dressage and vaulting for more than 30 years. He, along with wife Noel and sons Erik and Matt, founded the Little Spring Academy of Equestrian Arts in Golden, Colorado. Golden Gate Vaulters is part of this successful program. Yossi chairs the AVA’s Horse Committee and is a current board member.

Quiet, Supple, Obedient The Foundations of a Well-Educated Vaulting Horse


Photo

s cou

rtesy

of Pri

mo Po

nies P

hotog

raphy


Mary McCormick

Kenny GeislerClay Thomas

Mt Eden A Team

Karen Taylor

Nicholas Cox

Janie Salisbury

Kimberley Barnes

National High Point WinnerWomen’s Gold

Mt Eden Vaulting Club

National High Point Winner

Women’s One Star Canter

Woodside VaultersNational High Point Winner

Women’s TrotTopaz Vaulters

A Team of the YearMt Eden Vaulting Club

National High Point WinnerWomen’s Silver

Warm Beach Vaulters

National High Point WinnerWomen’s Bronze

Albuquerque Vaulters

National High Point Winner

Men’s Gold

Mt Eden Vaulting Club

National High Point WinnerMen’s Trot

The Riding Academy

National High Point WinnerMen’s SilverBalance Vaulters


Hayley Hanson

Kaleb Patterson

Miranda Marcantuno

Neal Iversen

Woodside ONe STar Canter TEamMt Eden C team

Woodside B Team

Mt Rainier Trot Team

Trot Team of the YearMt Rainier VaultersB Team of the YearWoodside Vaulters

C Team of the YearMt Eden Vaulting Club

One Star Canter Team of the Year Woodside Vaulters

National High Point WinnerWomen’s Bronze

Albuquerque Vaulters

National High Point WinnerWomen’s CopperVaulting Visions

National High Point WinnerMen’s Bronze

Warm Beach VaultersNational High Point WinnerMen’s Copper

Flying Star Vaulters

Mary McCormick photo courtesy of Alex Thomas; all others courtesy of Primo Ponies Photography


When I first saw vaulting, I remember the “no way is my daughter doing THAT” moment I had as I watched

two teen boys standing on the back of a huge cantering Draft horse while lifting a six-year-old girl high above their heads.

Thirteen years later I try to bear in mind that moment as I patiently explain vaulting to those unfamiliar with our sport. As we approach the Alltech/FEI World Equestrian Games at the end of this year, explaining vaulting, and debunking the common myths about vaulting, will become an even more frequent occurrence, since the Games are likely to generate considerable equestrian media coverage and general media coverage (including NBC!). This, in turn, will hopefully encourage stables and equestrian programs across the nation to think about adding vaulting programs at their barn. The coverage will also generate more frequent calls to our existing vaulting clubs as the general public tries to understand our beautiful and exciting sport.

As vaulting evangelists, it’s important for all of us to understand the common myths about vaulting, and how to explain vaulting as people ask us about it. First, let’s tackle the common misconceptions.

Common MisconceptionsA conversation about vaulting sometimes starts with perceived negatives, and a sort of incredulousness that anyone would allow a loved one (or horse) to vault. Here are four common vaulting misconceptions, and the real facts that should accompany the discussion.

Vaulting is dangerous. As my favorite cartoon character Pepe Le Pew used to say “au contraire mon frère.” Statistically vaulting is the safest of all equestrian sports—even safer than trail riding. It is also safer than soccer, or even playing on a playground! For more on why vaulting is so safe, go to

thE truth about VauLtinG:

ExpLaininG and EVanGELizinG our sport By Sheri Benjamin

the safety section of the AVA website (www.americanvaulting.org) and familiarize yourself with the details.

Vaulting horses spend their days just going around in circles, and that’s cruel. The most amusing blog and YouTube comments posted about this “issue” are obviously written by people who are wholly unfamiliar with vaulting, and who paint vaulting as using/abusing horses worse than Annie and friends were treated at their orphanage in the eponymous Broadway show. It is NOT a “hard knock life” for vaulting horses, by any stretch of the imagination.

Vaulting horses are true and spectacularly schooled athletes themselves, especially at the elite levels, and vaulting horses are cross-trained by design. Most vaulting horses have a very specific training schedule that includes everything from endurance-type trail rides to flat work in the arena to improve elasticity and quality of gaits. Some vaulting horses even jump on their non-vaulting days. A typical week for a vaulting horse would be two or three vaulting classes (with between 10 to 15 minutes of canter/trot time at each),

two days of arena work and two days out on the trails. And when their schooling is finished they spend a good bit of time simply hanging out in pastures with their equine buddies munching on grass and watching the world go by!

In the vaulting arena, the horses are schooled in a circle to the left and to the right (and our competitive levels ensure that our athletes

learn to vault to the right early on, as well as to the left).

Vaulters aren’t “real” riders. Clearly a misconception, probably thought because the lunger is seen controlling the horse during competition. But does that mean that vaulters aren’t real riders? Fact: vaulting is the original method of teaching all new riders to ride in a balanced and harmonious way. In many European countries today you must first learn to vault before you are allowed to ride solo. For safety, vaulters are first taught the important compulsory vaulting skills within their first few lessons. The first and most important of all of the compulsory moves is a balanced harmonious riding seat, which becomes the foundation of everything else a vaulter will ever learn. Vaulter-riders can perform a riding seat at a trot with no hands, and the equivalent of a Pony Club “around the world” (but with a specific count, in cadence with the horse) and what most riding clubs call an “emergency dismount”, within the first two months of lessons.

Within a year or two, these same riders are usually so balanced and in harmony with

the horse that horse and rider can show off a stand for at least four canter strides, and then gently return to riding seat. And many vaulters are or become riders, as well.

Vaulters don’t have horsemanship skills. Because the vaulting horse is controlled by a lunger from the middle of the competition circle, those who only watch vaulting performances wrongly assume that vaulters

Centuries of vaulting have shown that riders who learn to vault have a better riding seat, better harmony and contact with the horse, and are safer riders than those who have never been taught vaulting skills.

FeAture


are not true equestrians and have few horsemanship skills. In fact, all vaulters, from the very beginning, are taught basic horsemanship, and it is amazing to watch a five-year old vaulter carefully approach and soothe a cross-tied horse, than calmly start picking his hooves or brushing the horse (at least the parts the vaulter can reach!).

Most older vaulters are quite the avid horse lovers, and take full responsibility for the horse (either the club’s team horse, or an individual vaulting horse of their own), including riding, schooling, feeding, mucking, basic horse care, liaison with the veterinarian and farrier, etc.

Vaulting Evangelism 101So, what should you be telling people who ask about our unique and wonderful sport? If you have just a few minutes tell them this:

Vaulting is the ideal “gateway” entry into all things equestrian. In Germany, all beginning equestrians learn to vault before they learn to ride, and if we evangelize teaching vaulting compulsories to barns/stables/equestrian programs around the country, ideally that will soon be the case in the United States as well. Centuries of vaulting (historically in the European and Asian military cavalry and for the last 50-plus years pre-riding in Germany) have shown that riders who learn to vault have a better riding

Photo

court

esy of

Prim

o Pon

ies Ph

otogra

phy

Above: Josselyn Tonge of Morning Star Vaulters on Mavoureen. Below: Lucy Rohrer, a six year old whose love of vaulting shines through in pictures on Prince at AVA Nationals in Kentucky.

Photo

court

esy of

Prim

o Pon

ies Ph

otogra

phy


seat, better harmony and contact with the horse, and are safer riders than those who have never been taught vaulting skills.

And because the horse is controlled in the ring by an adult lunger, children can start vaulting at a much younger age than they can start riding (as early as two or three, depending on the child). The adult lunger also affords special needs children a unique opportunity to get on a horse sooner than later.

Vaulting is both a recreational activity and an elite level sport, can be done individually or on a team and is for both males and females of all ages. Now that’s a mouthful. But all true. You can vault when you’re three, and you can vault when you’re 63. You can vault on a team or you can vault individually, and males and females both vault. You can vault “just for fun” or “just for a better seat” or with an eye toward winning at WEG 2010. The possibilities are endless!

Vaulting is growing and is coming to more stables and barns across the U.S. If a parent or athlete interested in vaulting can’t find a vaulting program near them, ask them to call nearby stables and suggest that they consider starting a vaulting program. And if you meet an equestrian camp or program director who wants help and guidance starting a program, send them to AVA National Office Manager Craig Coburn, who will assist that person in making contact with regional mentors, and can hook them into existing vaulting coaching certification opportunities (such as those already offered by CHA—the Certified Horsemanship Association).

Vaulting is incredibly FUN! Part gymnastics and part dance, with the thrill of ice skating and the added element of working in harmony with our favorite animal, the horse—the possibilities for our sport are endless.

Go forth and evangelize!

About the Author: Sheri Benjamin is the volunteer President of the AVA, and coaches CEOs and business owners in her “other life.” Many moons ago she owned a successful PR firm and started out as a journalist.

Above: Sydney Holly, a Vintage Vaulter of Tambourine Vaulters. Right: Tristan Martin of Tambourine Vaulters.

“You can vault when you’re three, and you can vault when you’re 63.”

Part gymnastics and part dance, with the thrill of ice skating and the added element of working in harmony with our favorite animal, the horse—

Photo

court

esy of

Ellio

tt Zem

eber

Photo

court

esy of

Prim

o Pon

ies Ph

otogra

phy


Judges Suzanne Detol, Kelley Holly and Craig Coburn at the recent USEF/AVA National Championships in Lexington, Kentucky.

PerFormANCe sCore “times 2 or 3”By Suzanne Detol

thru the eyes of thE JudGEs

Harmony with the Horse is the most important aspect of vaulting. It is the ESSENCE of every exercise performed—both compulsory and freestyle. Judges are trained to watch for and reward harmony with the horse.

The Performance score is the evaluation of each exercise (compulsory and/or freestyle), and that evaluation

includes: mechanics, essence, form, scope, security, balance, continuity and harmony with the horse.

To assist in understanding what the judge is actually looking at and thinking about when scoring performance, the following are simple definitions of the words:

Mechanics: The exact and correct form of movement. “What it is,” per the description of the exercise.

Essence: The purpose or intent of the exercise. (What is the exercise supposed to demonstrate?)

Form: The control of body parts—straight legs, pointed toes, stretch throughout the body, etc.

Scope: Amplitude of movement and/or position i.e., reaching the fullest possible position when expressing the exercise.

Security: Stability; balanced and in harmony with the horse; freedom from fear of loss of balance.

Balance: To keep in equilibrium (a state of balance between opposing forces or effects), secure.

Continuity: Flow from one position to the next with little or no interruption of the movement and from one exercise to the next.

Harmony with the Horse: Accommodation of the horse’s movement to perform the exercises and transitions. Moving with the horse, not interfering with his way of going.

Harmony with the Horse is the most important aspect of vaulting. It is the ESSENCE of every

exercise performed —both compulsory and freestyle. Judges are trained to watch for and reward harmony with the horse.

For gold, silver and bronze individuals the performance score is “Times 2” (which means that the performance score is actually multiplied by two at the end).

For copper and trot individuals the performance score is “Times 3”!

When putting this season’s individual vaulting routines together, don’t forget to think about your “Performance”!

(Please refer to your AVA rule book for all scoring explanations. Online at www.americanvaulting.org/members/memberservices and click on “Rulebook”.)

About the Author: An AVA judge since 1990, Suzanne Detol became an FEI “O” judge in 2001, and is well respected in the international judging arena. She is on the AVA board of directors, and is the organization’s Medal Test Secretary and Competitions Secretary.

Photos courtesy of Primo Ponies Photography


FeAture

Jan f. Garrod:irrePressibLe, VersAtiLe, ACComPLished

Throughout the 40-year history of American vaulting, many Garrod family members have played instrumental

roles in the growth of our sport. And throughout the decades, no Garrod family member has worn more hats (metaphorically speaking) than Jan F. Garrod, who was presented the AVA’s highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award, at the Annual Convention’s recent recognition banquet.

A co-founder of the successful Mount Eden Vaulting Club (today the AVA’s largest and oldest club), Jan has also been a lunger, a coach, a horse owner and a vaulting parent; a long-time AVA, USEF and FEI competition organizer; a former AVA president, treasurer, grants committee chair and board member; a continued and calming presence on AHSA (now called USEF) boards as well as the vaulting and para-equestrian committees; a USA Chef d’Equipe (the French word translates roughly into “team leader”) at Vaulting World Championships, and much, much more.

The general manager of the Garrod family businesses, he oversees the 117-year-old Garrod Farms (where the family originally planted apricots and prunes in the midst of what is now the famous Silicon Valley), as well as the family’s ranch in Susanville, Calif. that supplies hay for their Saratoga stables. Today that “little Saratoga family ranch” consists of 120 acres of stables, pastures, vineyards and family homes, where the Garrod clan runs a well-known horse business and the award-winning Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyard.

And in his “spare time” Jan puts on his vaulting hat.

“His life has taken him on many paths: from ranch manager to cowboy to polo player to

aVa LifEtimE achiEVEmEnt award winnEr

Photo

court

esy of

Mt E

den V

aultin

g Club

arch

ives

administrator to artist to winemaker to sailor and more— but Jan has always made time to support vaulting,” says Marianne Rose, who served as Jan’s “team mom” when he coached the Mt. Eden C Team more than 25 years ago and has been by his side for many vaulting adventures since then.

For the Garrods, vaulting is a family affair. Jan’s mom, Jane Garrod, is an AVA Lifetime Achievement award winner herself, and his sister, Emma Garrod Seely, is a former Mentor of the Year, a two-time Osierlea award winner, and vaulting coach at the world champion level. Jan’s three children were all vaulters, so his first and foremost duty was as a vaulting dad. Trevor, now a musician, vaulted because he thought of the sport as good fun and

Jan with his children (from left) Amy, Alexis and Trevor.

Photo

court

esy of

Garro

d fam

ily ar

chive

s


exercise. Amy, a junior high school teacher, was a member of Mt. Eden’s Championship A Team in 1992 and was the AVA Women’s Silver National Champion in 1991. Ten years later, Jan’s youngest daughter Alexis, now 23 and a senior at San Francisco State University, followed in her sister’s footsteps by winning that same title in 2001. Today, even Jan’s wife of four years, Betsy, is into the vaulting scene as an impressive hospitality hostess for the annual Spring classic and bi-annual Saratoga CVI. And in her spare time she helps prepare her horse Fiona for vaulting competition.

At the club level, Jan lunged for Mt. Eden teams for many years, including in 1980, when Jan and the A Team spent several weeks in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, and in 1983 for the Mt. Eden A Team of the Year. His horses have twice won AVA Horse of the Year awards.

As the continuing long-time chair (17 years) of the AVA Grants Committee, his motto is “Money is available, and time’s a’wastin’!” And as the AVA treasurer for the last seven years, he was also well known for being able to put on his bookkeeper’s green eyeshades and remind the board to keep expenses in line with revenue. He labored over the AVA’s taxes himself for many years in the name of cost-savings (“Just trying to save on the expense line,” he’d say).

As AVA president from 1989 to 1992 he presided over the national organization during a time of great growth; the AVA grew 25 percent during his tenure. He also predicted accelerated growth for vaulting worldwide when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, paving the way for athletes in former Eastern Bloc countries like Poland and Czechoslovakia to start vaulting. (Today, the men’s world vaulting champion is Peter Eim of the Czech Republic.)

Jan was one of the first Americans to understand that the demands of international competition were making it more difficult to work “with just any horse.”

Marianne Rose believes that Jan’s forward thinking on the importance of quality horses for our sport was integral to Mt. Eden’s growth; he was always up for trying out new horses. “If the club needed another horse for competition, he would allow us to work our way through the Garrod Farms rental horses to find a good one,” says Marianne. “He even bought a few horses with vaulting in mind. Some of these worked out --Ruby, Rusty, Danny Boy, Jacky—and some didn’t. He always made sure the club had what it needed.”

“Jan has always been a huge fan and supporter of vaulting,” says Kerith Lemon, a former Mt. Eden vaulter, nine-time USEF/AVA Women’s Gold National Champion and five-time medalist at world vaulting championships. “He has this way about him—very calm—you know that he would never let anything go wrong.”

This served Jan (and American vaulting) well when he was Chef d’Equipe for the United States at three vaulting world championships: 1986 in Bulle, Switzerland; 1988 in Ebriechsdorf, Austria; and 1994 in Den Haag, Netherlands.

“When the Americans went to Den Haag for the World Equestrian Games, Jan was everywhere at once, wearing his cowboy hat, and making sure everything was running smoothly for the Americans,” remembers Kerith. “And I’ll never forget Jan’s smile and the huge hug he gave me when I won my first silver medal at that competition. He was an important part of my team.”

Jan is also known for his cool head in less than ideal circumstances, like when he had to ask the head judge to stop the competition in

1994 because a sudden technical problem was causing the stadium’s huge scoreboard to flash and spook the horses.

Jan’s calm during important competitions might come from his long history as an AVA, USEF, and FEI competition organizer. The annual Garrod’s Spring Classic has been a Region II tradition for decades, and the AVA has held many Region II Championships and three National Championships on the grounds of Garrod Farms and Stables. In 2001 Jan organized his first FEI competition, CVI California (now called CVI*, ** Saratoga). This event was held again in 2003, 2005 and 2007, attracting vaulters from South America, Canada, Europe, Africa, Australia and more.

“I can’t remember vaulting without Jan Garrod being involved in one way or another,” AVA Judge and Coach Suzanne Detol says. “He has done so much to nurture and support our organization and our sport. He’s a great family man, and simply a great man. We’re fortunate to have him.”

Jan lunges for a Mt. Eden team, pre-spandex.

Jan (back middle) and the Mt. Eden A Team on their three-week European vaulting adventure!

Photo

court

esy of

Mt. E

den V

aultin

g Club

arch

ives

Photo

court

esy of

Mt. E

den V

aultin

g Club

arch

ives


In 2009, vaulters took a record number of AVA Medal Tests: 230—almost 75 percent more than in the previous year! A total of 44 Medal Test days took place over the year with eight different judges in 14 different states,

according to longtime (22 years!) AVA Medal Test Secretary Suzanne Detol.

Medal testing gives vaulters an opportunity to measure themselves against a standard rather than against other vaulters, as occurs in competition. The AVA Medal Test Program includes opportunities for beginning level vaulters up through the elite international level vaulters to test their skills and earn medals at their particular level. A total of 11 AVA Medals may be awarded: Novice Walk, Novice Trot, Trot, Trot to the Right, Novice Canter, Bronze, Bronze to the Right, Silver, Silver to the Right, Gold, and Gold to the Right. At the canter level, medals can be earned with a passing score, a commended score, or an honors score (denoted as “C” or “H” after the score).

“We’re excited that the AVA Medal Test program continues to grow, because this program is one true way to measure yourself against a vaulting standard, and not just against other vaulters,” Sue explained. “I challenge clubs to put their heads together and discover ways to sponsor even more Medal Testing over the next year. Let’s grow the number of tests by at least 50 percent every year!”

A salute to all clubs that went the extra mile to sponsor an AVA Medal Test last year, and a hearty congratulations to each and every vaulter who was awarded an AVA Medal in 2009!

NoViCe wALkKaitlynn abrahamson, technique, 5.467megan ade, technique, 4.167meredith adkins, Paradise Vaulters, 5.000samyukda Babu, Great Falls, 4.600Yvonne Bass, oak Hills, 4.617Camryn Bowden, the riding academy, 3.783malia Brown, technique, 3.733lisa Cebula, Great Falls, 4.017shelby Clayton, mt. rainer Vaulters, 4.733Jordan Davy, mt. rainer Vaulters, 4.600Dawson Dotts, mountain Wind Vaulters, 4.433Hadley Dotts, mountain Wind Vaulters, 4.333maleah Galliger, sky mountain, 5.233sydney Garret, Gold star Pacesetters, 4.217Wade Guenther, Jt ranch, 4.300sarah Hein, mountain Wind Vaulters, 3.500Jordan Hill, Jt ranch, 5.400Kendall Hogan, Gold star Pacesetters, 5.150malorie Kahn, technique, 4.967lydia laub, Great Falls, 4.283trey lusater, Gold star Pacesetters, 4.983Baily mcDaniel, the riding academy, 4.117tayler moug, mountain Wind Vaulters, 4.483elizabeth Phelps, Great Falls, 4.983

AVA medAL test ProgrAm hits New reCord iN 2009

2009 medAL test reCiPieNts

sarah Phelps, Great Falls, 3.900Heather Powers, Paradise Vaulters, 4.717taylor rea, technique, 4.300rebekah reece, mt. rainer Vaulters, 4.683meagan stanley, oak Hills, 3.333madison taylor, technique, 4.300morgan towle , Brookwood Vaulters,3.667evalynn thompson, technique, 4.033 natalie Watkins, taysha, 3.300Kenzie Watson, taysha, 3.417Karissa Weathersby, Gold star Pacesetters, 4.866Jade Wentland , Jt ranch, 4.767Jazmyn Wentland, Jt ranch, 3.750olivia Winkleman, lone star Vaulters, 5.550

NoViCe trotsamyukda Babu, Great Falls, 4.867Jonathan Baird, technique, 3.833aurelia Balkanski, Woodside, 3.750Yvonne Bass, oak Hills, 4.300amber Bezzant, technique, 4.233shawna Bolt, Gold star Pacesetters, 4.883sarah Brown, oak Hills, 4.500lisa Cebula, Great Falls, 4.467mcKenna Dove, lone star Vaulters, 5.050

autumn Freeborn, mt. rainer Vaulters, 5.083sydney Garrett, Gold star Pacesetters, 3.767Destinee Gile, technique, 4.000Heather Haugen, mt. rainer Vaulters, 4.817Kendall Hogan, Gold star Pacesetters, 4.550mackenzie Johnson, Flying star, 5.417neely Kirkland, lone star Vaulters, 5.233savannah Knudson, technique, 4.750Holly Kuhn, Woodside, 3.433Kristen Kuhn, Woodside, 3.583lydia laub, Great Falls, 4.050Hana mason, mile High, 4.450nicole Parnell, Great Falls, 5.483melissa Peterson, mt. rainer Vaulters, 5.367elizabeth Phelps, Great Falls, 4.700Jacob Powell, technique, 5.750Kim Pritchett, Gold star Pacesetters, 5.417taylor rae, technique, 4.217Haley riley, Gold star Pacesetters, 4.950Carla roever, Woodside, 3.717Jordan sigmon, Gold star Pacesetters, 5.667lydia spaun, Gold star Pacesetters, 5.100Karissa Weathersby, Gold star Pacesetters, 4.350Zania Winfrey,Vaulting Visions, 4.700

trotKayla ade, technique, 5.617Jessie ahlborn, oak Hills 5.783abby arft, topaz Vaulters, 4.983mcKenna Ballard, oak Hills, 5.267april Barden, topaz Vaulters, 5.017abby Brown, oak Hills, 5.133lindsay Brown, oak Hills, 5.967makayla Clyne, mt. eden Vaulting Club, 6.350mara Coe, Golden Gate Vaulters, 5.650Jentry Cole, oak Hills, 5.367Melissa Cox, The Riding Academy, 5.883Nicholas Cox, The Riding Academy, 5.700Holly Crumpton, oak Hills, 6.200Hadley DeBrine, Woodside, 5.250sammie Fehr, sky mountain, 5.617Francesca Foley, Vaulters del sol, 5.750malu Foley, Vaulters del sol, 5.300ana Gabriel louis, lone star Vaulters, 5.500anna Hamrick, Vaulters del sol, 5.550Hailey Haugen, mt. rainer Vaulters, 5.433Brooklyn Hayter, oak Hills, 5.633terah Hochhauser, mile High, 5.050Christina Hogg, Gold star Pacesetters, 5.567

AVA medAL testiNg: FiVe yeAr stAtistiCs*

2009 2008 2007 2006 2005

novice Walk 38 0 0 28 0

novice n/A 46 37 0 49

novice Trot 33 0 0 34 0

Trot 62 33 53 48 44

Trot (right) 7 5 1 1 0

novice canter 23 0 0 15 0

Bronze 37 24 43 20 31

Bronze (right) 3 4 3 2 2

Silver 20 15 13 14 8

Silver (right) 4 1 0 0 0

Gold 3 3 0 0 0

Total 230 131 150 162 134

Photo

court

esy of

Prim

o Pon

ies Ph

otogra

phy


lauren Horton, the riding academy, 5.450elizabeth Ioannou, mt. eden Vaulting Club, 7.667molly Jacoby, Vaulting Visions, 5.533Portia Jeronimo, Flying star, 5.283Caitlyn Johnson, Brookwood Vaulters, 5.617mackenzie Johnson, Flying star, 5.517morgan Johnson, Brookwood Vaulters, 5.000Krista Kannen, lone star Vaulters, 5.433elle Krueger, topaz Vaulters, 5.183Alexis Massey, Mt. Rainer Vaulters, 5.633Dominique mulleur, albuquerque Vaulters, 5.367Violet murphy, sky mountain, 5.767shayla ore, oak Hills, 6.283elizabeth Paliga, Golden Gate, 5.183nicole Parnell, Great Falls, 5.350melissa Peterson, mt. rainier, 5.100Kim Pritchett, Gold star Pacesetters, 5.717alisha reynolds, Vaulting Visions, 5.483leah reynolds, Vaulting Visions, 5.433erich rohrer, Blue star, 5.833Heidi rothweiler, mt. eden Vaulting Club, 7.150megan ross, Flying star, 5.067Katherine salisbury, Woodside, 5.267randal setzler , lone star Vaulters, 5.717Jordan sigmon, Gold star Pacesetters, 5.417olivia soter, Brookwood Vaulters, 5.683lydia spaun, Gold star Pacesetters, 5.233erika stanley, oak Hills, 5.283Julie stanley, lone star Vaulters, 5.800Karissa swain, Warm Beach Vaulters, 5.083Camille swan, oak Hills, 6.450Kelsie tays, Warm Beach Vaulters, 5.667Cameron thompson, Flying star, 5.000Alexandra Thrasher, Mt. Eden Vaulting Club, 6.967ashlee Warren, oak Hills, 5.083Brooke Watkins, oak Hills, 6.033Karissa Weathersby, Gold star Pacesetters, 4.950Korynn Weber, mountain Wind Vaulters, 5.533monique West, the riding academy, 4.967

trot to the rightapril Barden, topaz Vaulters, 5.217ana Gabriel louis, lone star Vaulters, 5.700Krista Kannen, lone star Vaulters, 5.300maya leseten, lone star Vaulters, 5.583Kim Pritchett, Gold star Pacesetters, 5.350Alex Schaubhut, Lone Star Vaulters, 6.517randal setzler, lone star Vaulters, 5.883

NoViCe CANterKayla ade, technique, 5.750Jessie ahlborn , oak Hills, 4.083mcKenna Ballard, oak Hills, 4.567abby Brown, oak Hills, 4.417lindsay Brown, oak Hills, 6.000sydney Carnevale, Image, 4.800Jentry Cole, oak Hills, 5.233Holly Crumpton, oak Hills, 4.683sara Dunn, Woodside, 4.367michelle Guo, mt. eden Vaulting Club, 4.683Christine Herrmann, Woodside, 4.650

siLVerGabe aniello, Brookwood Vaulters, 6.883Kimberley Barnes, Warm Beach Vaulters, 7.208 Calyssa Bonora,Woodside, 7.025 CHannah Crumpton, oak Hills, 7.850 CSydney Dexter, Brookwood Vaulters, 6.842Kelsey Drewry, Brookwood Vaulters, 6.860anna erickson, Warm Beach Vaulters, 6.775Jake Flukiger, technique, 6.642mary Garrett, FaCe, 7.233 CKathryn Jaggers, Woodside, 6.808laura Jassowski, silver Bay Vaulters, 6.742Roxanne Mitchell, Warm Beach, 7.400 CKelly moore, Golden Gate Vaulters, 8.008 Hshawn ricci, Independent, 7.275 CKristian roberts, Half moon Bay Vaulters, 6.708Alex Schaubhut, Lone Star Vaulters, 7.383 CPatrick stevens, Woodside, 7.625 Claura Yelavich, mt. eden Vaulting Club, 6.592annie Young, shea rose Vaulters, 6.850Jamie Wantland, Warm Beach Vaulters, 7.100 C

olivia Imig, technique, 5.550Amanda Minix, Vaulting Visions, 5.000Kate morse, mt. eden Vaulting Club, 5.267michelle odgers, Great Falls, 4.733shayla ore, oak Hills, 5.783Julia robinson, Piedmont, 4.600Janie salisbury, Woodside, 4.467amanda thomas, mt. eden Vaulting Club, 5.967macKenzie thurman, mt. eden Vaulting Club, 4.833ashlee Warren, oak Hills, 4.133Brooke Watkins, oak Hills, 5.200Jessica Weiland, Vaulting Visions, 5.483

broNzeZina allred, oak Hills, 7.380 Hmegan anderson, Paradise Vaulters, 5.220sarah anderson, sky mountain, 6.450 Crhiannen arny schultz, Golden Gate, 6.710 Cryan Barbee, Warm Beach Vaulters, 7.030 Hstacey Burnett, mt. eden Vaulting Club, 6.470 Ctessa Divita, Woodside, 6.470 CJake Flukiger, technique, 7.160 HJoey Gadd, mt. eden Vaulting Club, 6.030 CJosiana Goodman, technique, 7.000 HKailie Goodman, technique, 7.070 Hmolly Gould, Woodside, 6.240 CYvonne Greenen, Woodside, 6.620 Cshelby Janes, Warm Beach Vaulters, 6.150 CAlexandria Jaynes, Warm Beach Vaulters, 6.370 CChase Kaylor, technique, 6.870 Cshayla Keating, Great Falls, 6.420 CGrace Koz, Woodside, 6.600 CBrianna lee, Paradise Vaulters, 5.220miranda marcantuno, Vaulting Visions, 6.400 Crita murphy, sky mountain, 6.190 CKatrina nibbi, Woodside, 6.690 CPauline oldenburg, mile High Vaulters, 6.460 Cashley ondaro, silver Bay Vaulters, 6.200 Cruth overton, Warm Beach Vaulters, 6.390 CColton Palmer, Half moon Bay Vaulters, 5.840Kaleb Patterson, Warm Beach Vaulters, 5.370Zoe Pearl, silver Bay Vaulters, 6.340 CJulia Plungy, Woodside, 6.330 CKimberly Pritchett, Golden star Pacesetters, 5.440adria revell, mt. eden Vaulting Club, 6.240 Cshawn ricci, Independent, 7.450 HAlex Schaubhut, Lone Star Vaulters, 7.450 Hleoni schmidt, Vaulting Connections, 5.540Gina luisa semmelhack, Paradise Vaulters, 6.230 Caudrey sims, Vaulting Visions, 6.050 CCamille swan, oak Hills, 7.570 H

broNze to the rightKyra mcCarty, mt. eden Vaulting Club, 6.440 Cregina thompson, mountain Wind Vaulters, 6.010 Claura Yelavich, mt. eden Vaulting Club, 6.720 C

siLVer to the rightalissa Feudo, Great Falls, 7.400 CKatie Gieschen, Vaulting Visions, 7.783 Cstephanie Harris, Image, 7.433 Crebecca nuss, Vaulting Visions, 6.858

goLdnicole Czyzewski, Golden Gate, 8.329 Cmary mcCormick, mt. eden Vaulting Club, 8.650 Hmegan lanfri, Woodside, 8.336 C

For more information on the AVA’s Medal Test Program, go to www.americanvaulting.org/members/medaltesting/

*Wondering why the Novice division reporting looks a bit skewed? In some years, all gaits in the “Novice” category were reported together, and in other years, the Novice category was broken down by gait. Where Medal Test score sheets and results did not show the type of gait, scores are simply reported in the Novice (general) category.

Concentrated learning and training techniques to improve compulsories and encourage creativity

in freestyles. All levels invited.

Instructor: Patti Skipton, WBC Vaulting Coach

Guest Clinician, Spring Break Camp: Mary McCormick, Gold Level International Competitor

Camp Dates: March 28-April 2 (ages 10-18) $396 April 16-18 (ages 7-18) $198 July 4-10 (ages 10-18) $568

*New activities for advanced vaulters: Roman Riding!

Warm Beach Camp presents

Vaulting Camps

Warm Beach Camp presents:

Camp Dates: March 28-April 2 (ages 10-18) $396

April 16-18, 2010 (ages 7-18) $198July 4-10, 2010 (ages 10-18) $568

Register Today! 360-652-7575 WarmBeach.Com

Instructor:Patti Skipton, WBC Vaulting Coach

Guest Clinician, Spring break Camp:Mary McCormick, Gold Level International Competitor

Concentrated learning & training techniques to improve compulsories and encourage creativity in free-styles. All levels invited.

*New activity for advanced vaulters: Roman Riding!!

Warm Beach Camp 20800 Marine Dr, Stanwood, WA



















Register Today! 360-652-7575WarmBeach.comWarm Beach Camp • 20800 Marine Dr., Stanwood, WA


Just for VauLtErs

dyNAmiC stretChiNg For VAuLtiNg suCCessBy Megan Benjamin with Stacey Burnett

To get the best out of your vaulting practices, it’s important to stretch properly—and no, that does not mean sitting in splits for three minutes before hopping on the horse. Research shows that dynamic stretching, a form of stretching

utilizing momentum, allows athletes to reduce muscle stiffness without compromising the power and speed of fast-twitch muscle fibers. Dynamic stretching is especially important for vaulters because it aids in injury prevention—something static stretching does not do. Dynamic stretching allows athletes to improve their overall flexibility and form, increase their range of motion, and decrease stress put on joints when muscles do not have the desired range of motion.

Try starting your practice with a light warm-up, then some dynamic stretches. Ideally, static stretching should be left until the end of your practices and workouts. Here are six new dynamic stretches to learn and love.

There’s no time like the present to incorporate dynamic flexibility into your vaulting routine. By practicing these exercises at the beginning of your vaulting sessions and by saving static stretches until the end of practice, you will be on your way to a more flexible, less injury-prone you in no time at all!

About the Authors: Megan Benjamin is a senior at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. A Mt. Eden Vaulting Club member, she is the 2006 World Equestrian Games Women’s Vaulting Champion, and a member of the AVA Board of Directors. Stacey Burnett (pictured above) is a personal trainer at Axis Fitness in Menlo Park, CA. She has been designing workouts for vaulters since 2005.

4

1Walking Quad StretchGrasp the top of your foot and pull your heel to your buttocks. You should feel a stretch in the front of your upper leg. Hold for two seconds, release, take a step forward and switch legs. Continue for 10 yards. This stretch is important for loosening your muscles before progressing to more difficult stretches.

InchwormsStart by bending over with straight legs and touching the ground in front of your toes. Slowly walk your hands out until you are in a push-up position, keeping your feet firmly placed. Once in a push-up position, walk the feet toward the hands until you are once again in a forward bend. Repeat and continue for 10 yards. This stretch will help your hamstring flexibility.


2 3Walking Hip (Piriformis) StretchGrasp the outside of your foot and bring it across and in front of your body. Drop your knee low and stand up straight. You should feel a stretch on the outside of your upper thigh. Hold for two seconds, release, take a step forward and switch legs. Continue for 10 yards. This stretch is also important for loosening your muscles before progressing to more difficult stretches.

Sprinter’s Lunge with Thoracic RotationDrop into a lunge position with your right leg forward. Your front knee should be directly over your front ankle. Put weight on your left hand and stretch your right arm straight in the air. Twist your torso toward the lunging leg and hold for two seconds. Stand up, walk forward, and switch legs. Repeat on left side and continue switching sides for 10 yards. This stretch prepares your body for rotational movement and split exercises.

5Sprinter’s Lunge Elbow to Ankle, Shift to Split Hamstring/Calf StretchDrop into a lunge with the right leg forward. (Make sure your front knee is directly over your front ankle!) Place your right elbow to the inside of your right foot and sink into the lunge. Straighten your front (right) leg and flex your foot, remembering to keep hips square. You should feel a stretch through the hamstring and calf. Stand up, walk forward, and switch legs. Repeat on left side and continue for 10 yards. This stretch will help your flexibility for mill and all split exercises. 6

Walking Kicks (Frankensteins)Stand with your arms straight out in front of you. Keeping both legs straight, kick one leg to horizontal, keeping the foot flexed and hip down. Switch legs and continue for 10 yards. This stretch helps your coordination and mill flexibility.


Imagine a team—let’s say it’s a vaulting team—where all members behaved like this:

3They have total trust in each other.

3They have full, fun and unfiltered discussions around a variety of ideas.

3They then make decisions, commit to those decisions and develop a plan of action to carry them out.

3They hold each other accountable for delivering against those decisions.

3They focus on the achievement of a team result.

And now imagine another team (not yours of course), where the following takes place instead:

7Team members say they trust each other, but, well, they don’t really know each other that well. Stretching and vaulting take precedence over having meaningful discussions about anything of importance.

7The team leader has a “my way or the highway” approach. He or she will, on occasion, give team members a single chance to voice an opinion. After that “just shut up and do it.”

7The team “makes a decision” but many of them feel railroaded by one or two others, and a few of them go into the bathroom after practice and talk about how horrible it is.

of teambuilding aren’t really a secret, but building a true team takes a lot of hard work.

My favorite easy-to-read business book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team describes why teams work—and why they don’t. And the principles can just as easily be applied to vaulting teams and clubs (and even AVA and regions and at the national level) as they can to Fortune 500 corporations!

So why do some teams —even the best ones—struggle?

“Teamwork isn’t a virtue, or even mandatory, it’s a choice,” says author Patrick Lencioni. When people see teamwork as a “must do” rather than a “choose to” they avoid the work of making teamwork a reality.

By Sheri Benjamin

manaGement 101

teAmwork is A ChoiCe: teAmbuiLdiNg For suCCess

7When things don’t go the way the team plans, there’s finger-pointing, behind each other’s back of course. “Mary gets a 2.2 on her riding seat every time because she doesn’t do her core exercises,” they complain. But no one talks to Mary about it because “that wouldn’t be nice.” Yet no one on the team wants to point out that “maybe we shouldn’t be talking behind Mary’s back.”

7The team doesn’t meet any of its goals and later disbands, disheartened and blaming other members of the team.

Sound familiar? Versions of this happen in schoolyards, corporate meeting rooms, and yes, in vaulting arenas around the world. The secrets

Photo

s cou

rtesy

of Pri

mo Po

nies P

hotog

raphy

“Teamwork isn’t a virtue, or even mandatory, it’s a choice.” --Patrick Lencioni.


Get results

hold each other accountable

actively commit

embrace conflict: talk about everything

teams must trust and be comfortable with each other

An added bonus? “A” players rarely leave organizations where they are part of a

cohesive team.

How do you get started? Patrick Lencioni’s short (it’s written as a

story) and fun The Five Dysfunctions of a Team book is a great start

(and it includes a nifty Team Assessment at the back of the

book). Concurrently, you might consider trying these

exercises to start the process of building trust

as a solid foundation for your team:

Personal Histories Exercise: This low-risk exercise requires nothing more than going around

the circle and having team members answer a short list of questions about themselves. Questions might include the following: number of siblings, favorite subject in school, things you do when you’re not vaulting, time when you’ve been most happy over the last year, etc. You might include a question or two designed totally for fun—for example: the food that most “grosses you out.” Through this exercise, team members can relate to one another on a more personal basis and hear each other’s stories on subjects other than vaulting. (Minimum time required: 30 minutes.)

Team Effectiveness Exercise: This more advanced exercise requires team members to identify the single most important contribution that each teammate makes to the team (“I believe your most important team contribution is…” ) and one area that the same teammate must either improve upon or eliminate for the good of the team (“I would like to see you start… or stop…”). All members write down something for each member, then report their responses, focusing on one person at a time. It is important that the feedback be given by each member, and not anonymously. (Minimum time required: 60 minutes.)

Teams don’t just happen. They take a lot of work, and a lot of practice! What could your team achieve if it worked as hard at teambuilding as it did at vaulting?

“Let’s accept the sacrifice and labor that goes into achieving real teamwork,” the author says.

To begin improving your team, and to better understand the level of work your team is facing, ask yourself these simple questions:

3Do team members openly and readily disclose their opinions? Are all team members willing to admit their mistakes and weaknesses and ask for help when they need it?

3Are team meetings compelling and productive? Can all team members have a passionate, honest discussion about what is true? Can they say the “hard things”? And then move on?

3Does the team come to decisions quickly, or do they get bogged down by wanting total consensus on every little thing? Is there ambiguity, or is there total clarity on what the team has discussed, and what the team has agreed to?

3Do team members confront one another about their shortcomings? (When teams don’t commit to a clear plan of action, even the most focused and driven individuals hesitate to call their teammates on actions and behaviors that may seem counterproductive to the overall good of the team.)

3Do team members sacrifice their own interests for the good of the team? Team members naturally put their own needs (ego, recognition, etc.) ahead of the collective goals of the team when individuals aren’t held accountable.

“Striving to create a functional, cohesive team avoids wasting time talking about the wrong issues and revisiting the same topics over and over again because of lack of buy-in,” according to Lencioni. “Functional teams also make better decisions and accomplish more in less time with less distraction and frustration.”

start From the bottom up for a highly Functioning team!*

*with thanks to “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” by Patrick Lencioni


This year, equestrians will be looking to one place for the best athletes, the best horses, and the greatest competition in the world. They will find them all at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. On behalf of the World Games 2010

Foundation, the organizing committee of the Games, I would like to invite you to join us for this amazing event to be held from September 25 to October 10.

For some, it may be a return to the renowned Kentucky Horse Park, where you will find new and renovated facilities that truly rank this venue among the premier equestrian facilities anywhere in the world. For others, it may be your first journey to the famous bluegrass of Kentucky. Whatever the case, it is important for everyone to attend and help promote the incredible athleticism and beauty of equestrian sport.

With the Games being held in America for the first time, we have a truly unique opportunity to showcase this sport to entirely new audiences like never before. We encourage fans of all nations to help us make these Games a world-class success.

Tickets are still available but going fast, so now is the time to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. For more information, please visit our website at www.alltechfeigames.com or call us at 859-255-2010. Get your Games face on!

Jamie Link CEO, Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

eVentsCALeNdAr MArCH 20Great Lakes Barrel FestGrace Christian School: Watervliet, MI Jane Egger: [email protected]

MArCH 20Great Falls Vaulters St. Patrick’s Day Barrel FestBarnesville School: Barnesville, MD Jennifer Williams: [email protected]

MArCH 20-21Mt. Rainier Warm-Up FestElma, WA [email protected] http://www.mtrainiervaulters.org/

APrIL 10-11North East Washington Mountain FestMountain House Arena: Colville, WA Tamea Denault: [email protected]

APrIL 17-18Falconwood Vaulters’ Spring FestFalconwood Farms: Covington, GA Lisa Zielenske: [email protected]

APrIL 24-25Region IV April FestFort Lupton, CO Jodi Rinard: [email protected]

APrIL 25The Riding Academy’s Fun in the Sun FestThe Riding Academy: Menifee, CA Sarah Hill: [email protected]

APrIL 27-29CHA Recreational Vaulting Coach CertificationThe Root Farm: Verona, NY Kim Senn: [email protected]

APrIL 30-MAy 1Adaptive Vaulting SymposiumThe Root Farm: Verona, NY Kim Senn: [email protected]

MAy 1-2Vaulters of the Northwest Spring FestTrails End Arena: Olympia, WA Tom Sayles: [email protected]

MAy 8-9Great Falls & Topaz Vaulters Spring FestFrying Pan Park: Herndon, VA Jennifer Williams: [email protected]

MAy 15-16Garrod’s Spring ClassicSaratoga, CA Marianne Rose: [email protected]

JUNE 5Shea Rose Southern Sunshine FestWaxhaw, NC [email protected]

JUNE 5-6Woodside Vaulters Spring FestPortola Valley, CA Linda Bibbler: [email protected]

JUNE 10-13CVI*,** Chilliwack, Canada Chilliwack, BC, Canada Barb Schmidt: [email protected] www.vaultcanada.org/CVI-Chilliwack-2010

JUNE 11-13CHA Recreational Vaulting Coach CertificationThe Riding Academy: Menifee, CA Sarah Hill: [email protected]

JUNE 19Lompoc Vaulters FestLa Salle Stables: Lompoc, CA Peggy Van Hook: [email protected]

JUNE 23Sonoma-Marin Fair Barrel CompetitionSonoma, CA www.sonoma-marinfair.org/

JULy 3-4 Region IX ChampionshipsLexington, VA Elizabeth Brigham: [email protected]

JULy 8-11Region II ChampionshipsGrass Valley, CA Kelly Holly: [email protected]

JULy 10-11Region IV ChampionshipsLas Vegas, NM Merry Cole: [email protected]

JULy 17-18F.A.C.E.-Off Vaulting ChallengeEl Sueno Equestrian Center: Somis, CA Carolyn Bland: [email protected] www.cadenceequestrianevents.com

JULy 29-AUGUST 1USEF/AVA National ChampionshipsSanta Barbara, CA Linda Bibbler: [email protected] www.americanvaulting.org/Nationals2010/

SEPTEMBEr 18-19Great Falls & Topaz Vaulters Fall FestFrying Pan Park: Herndon, VA Jennifer Williams: [email protected]

SEPTEMBEr 25-OCTOBEr 10World Equestrian Games Kentucky Horse Park: Lexington, KY Pam Lane: [email protected] www.alltechfeigames.com/

OCTOBEr 9-10, 2010Harbor View Vaulters OktoberFestDonida Farm: Auburn, WA Lori Robinson: [email protected] (253 )691-0676

OCTOBEr 23Mt. Eden’s Halloween FestSaratoga, CA Marianne Rose: [email protected]

OCTOBEr 23-24Region IV OktoberFestCastle Rock, CO Noel Martonovich: [email protected]

NOVEMBEr 6-7AVA Region I Championships “Vaulting in Vegas III”Horseman’s Park: Las Vegas, NV Connie Geisler: (909) 861-1564

Megan Benjamin vaults on the “horse” in front of WEG headquarters in Lexington, KY.


Photo

court

esy of

Prim

o Pon

ies Ph

otogra

phy

2009 AVA horse oF the yeAr!Name ~ Giovanni

DOB ~ May 9, 1997

Breed ~ Mecklenburger

Owned by Woodside Vaulters since 2005

2007, 2008 and 2009 AVA Horse of the Year

2009 USEF Individual Vaulting Horse of the Year

· welcome to version 3.0 of the american vaulting association’s publication. what started out...

Documents